The Moment I Knew
by Amanda-Hargitay
Summary: It's Olivia's birthday. She's just looking for the person who could make her night or crush it. Read to find out. Set after Elliot leaves. One-Shot


My other story well lets just say I'm not feeling it right now. I've been listening to a lot of Taylor Swift lately and this song just felt like something I had to write about so hope you like it. If the title didn't give it away the song is The Moment I Knew by Taylor Swift. Will make more since if you listen to the song. For this story because of the song her birthday is going to be December 7. (Set after Elliot left)

From the day they met they swore to each other they would never miss the others birthday no matter what happened between them. It didn't matter if they had been fighting with each other for a week or they hadn't talked to each other. He always showed; she always showed. He'd get her something she wanted; she'd get him something he wanted. That's just how it worked between them. That was until today…

She's standing in her bedroom trying to figure out which dress she wants to wear. It's a choice between a simple plain black dress that fits her well and a floral knee length dress that flows in the wind. After a mental battle with herself she goes with the simple black dress. She heads towards the bathroom to do her makeup. She wants things to be different this year so she goes with her red lipstick that no one ever sees her in. Once she is finished she goes back to her room gets dressed and heads to the party.

When she walks in she expects to see him there telling her he's back for good, but he's not. In fact he's not there at all. She pulls her phone thinking maybe he texted me to say he's going to be late. She's disappointed when there is not one text on her phone. She looks around and sees everyone having a good time and she tries really hard to focus on their joy to try to make her even remotely happy, but it doesn't work. Nothing works these days. Just when she's ready to leave everyone starts asking her about him. It started with Casey asking "When did you talk to Elliot last?" Then it was Fin asking "How's Elliot?" Then it was John, Cragen, Alex, even Amanda and Nick asked. She freaks out and sprints to the bathroom. When she gets there she sits on the floor and just cries.

She looks up when Casey enters. "Olivia are you okay?" she says as she moves to sit down next to her, but she can't put any words together and simply shakes her head no and cries harder.

Eventually she manages to pull 5 words together "He said he'd be here." "I know Olivia, I know" She rest her head on Casey as she cries some more. When she finally gets the courage to go back out there Casey helps her to her feet and hugs her and says "Its gunna be okay." She nods and pulls away from her embrace and heads out the door. As soon as she gets back out to the party she stares at the door wanting and hoping he would burst through the door and hug her telling her why he was so late, but deep down she knows he's not coming. She sad that she got dressed up for him and he didn't even show, he didn't call, he didn't care enough to be there for her. All of this thinking she's doing sends her into another crying spree. Everyone that is use to her being so strong and independent sees her so weak and fragile in that moment. She doesn't know if she should be happy or sad that her friends no family are so understanding of why she needs to cry about something that shouldn't matter that much.

She walks over to the only other man that knows what she went through and just wraps herself around him as she sobs. She always had this connection with Don. He was the father she didn't have growing up. When something was happening between her and Elliot he would sit there and listen to her and just listen to what it was she was feeling without judging her for it. It was in this moment she need his shoulder the most, not just to cry on but to have comfort knowing that he wasn't going to leave her unless he was forced to by a force greater then all of them.

He knows what it feels like to have the person you care so much about not be there. He understands her pain better than anyone else right now. He also knew that she just wanted to go home and cry herself to sleep and feel numb for the night, but he won't let her do that and they both know it. He can't let her turn out like him or at least what he had been years ago. When he sees she's done crying he ask her a question so simple "You wanna have some cake and then I'll take you home for the night?" a question she doesn't wanna have to answer.

She's still holding on to the little bit of hope she has left. Hope that he'll show up. So she looks up at him and nods. He guides her over to the table as everyone starts singing happy birthday to her. Only thing about it this birthday is it's not a happy one at all, it's a sad one where all she wants to do is go home and shut everyone out.

After cake is finished everyone around her can tell that as much as she loves them being there she is emotionally drained for the night and needs to sleep. So one by one everyone tells her happy birthday one more time and make their way out the door. When Casey gets to her she whispers something to Olivia that makes her laugh, the first laugh she had since she walked in the building that night. She turns to Don and says "All right I've had enough can you take me home now?" And with that they leave the building in a comfortable silence.

He walks her to door before he turns her around and hugs her. "I'm sorry Olivia, I'm sorry he didn't show tonight, but maybe it was meant to be this way. I know it sucks right now and it feels awful how he can just do that to you like it's not a big deal when it is. Get some rest call me if you don't wanna come in tomorrow or if you just wanna talk I'm always a phone call away." And with that he turns around to head home and get some sleep.

She was asleep for an hour before her phone woke her up. She didn't even think to check who it was calling she just picked it up. She panicked when she heard him.

All he said to her was "I'm so sorry I didn't make it tonight Olivia but I wanna make it up to you."

"Yeah, I'm sorry too. Bye Elliot don't call me again, just forget and move on." And just like that everything that had happened in the last 12 years was just a memory that she wouldn't revisit anymore. Anything that may have happened wouldn't and she knew it was suppose to be like this.

Hope you liked it. Review, don't Review in the end only you can decide what you wanna do. 


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